Walmart Gift Card Restrictions 101
Receiving a gift card is something most of us can say we are fond of. As a tool used to give money to another person without the need for exchanging cash, gift cards serve as an excellent and organized present that may be used on anything the user wishes to purchase at the location the gift card is valid for. Gift cards can even be life-saving gifts when you need to get something last minute or when you have no idea what to buy for your gift recipient, regardless of the holiday or occasion.
As far as the various types of retail gift cards out there to experience, Walmart gift cards are among the most appreciated and are hard to let any gift recipient down with. Walmart locations are plentiful around the nation and the sheer size of them is impressive without even considering their massive inventory. Shoppers can make one stop at a Walmart supercenter and grab everything they need all at once instead of running around to multiple stores, which saves time and is cost effective.
Speaking of the costs, another reason a Walmart gift card works as an always reliable gift is on account of their unbeatable prices on a range of products. Whether you found a nice pair of blue jeans that style perfectly with cute boots on clearance, or you wanted to add to your home entertainment collection by picking up a few new movies and video games, a Walmart gift card has the ability to get you all of the above and then some.
That all sounds like an awesome deal, right?
Well, before we get too ahead of ourselves with all the purchasing power that comes alongside a Walmart gift card, it is important to make note of the terms and conditions imposed by Walmart in regards to their gift cards. There are many things that may not impact your shopping experience whatsoever, but some restrictions do exist when it comes to what you can and cannot buy using your Walmart gift card.
Continue reading the rest of this article to learn more about Walmart gift card restrictions and to get more general information on how they operate.
Where Can I Use a Walmart Gift Card?
There is no trick to using a Walmart gift card when shopping in-store, on the app, or online at Walmart.com. You can use a Walmart gift card like any other payment method so long as you have the funds necessary to complete the transaction. But aside from Walmart stores, there are a few other places you can use your Walmart gift card at.
- Sam’s Club locations
- Walmart and Sam’s Club gas stations
- Murphy USA gas stations located near Walmart stores (Murphy Express stores excluded)
- Walmart Marketplace and Neighborhood Markets
- Vudu streaming service
If any of these merchants or services interest you more than a Walmart location, feel encouraged to use your Walmart gift card for your purchases at them. If you have any concerns over whether or not your gift card will be accepted when you attempt to pay with it, you can always call ahead and verify that Walmart gift cards are an acceptable payment method at the merchant of your choice.
Note that there are no Walmart gift card fees you have to worry about accruing when you choose to purchase and use a Walmart gift card.
Get the full benefits of shopping with a Walmart gift card by familiarizing yourself with the various places that accept Walmart gift cards as payment, as well as the types of goods and services that may be purchased using your gift card.
Walmart Gift Card Activation
Before you rush to spend the funds of your Walmart gift card on a mix of practical purchases and fun merchandise, you need to be sure that your gift card is properly activated. If it is not, then you will not be able to complete transactions using your Walmart gift card, and they can really put a damper on your shopping experience. The good news is that there is already a likely chance that your gift card is activated and ready to go from the moment you receive it.
The way in which gift cards from Walmart work is that a gift card purchased in-store from the retailer will be automatically activated at the time of purchase. This means it may be used immediately to buy a variety of items from Walmart without any issue, which makes it a great option for last minute gift giving. However, immediate activation is not always the case and there will be times when the user must complete a few steps in order to access their gift card funds.
If your Walmart gift card balance exceeds $250 or you are attempting to purchase multiple vouchers at the same time, you will need to manually activate your gift card before you can use it. This is due to security reasons and helps protect against fraudulent purchases.
When it comes to the activation process, there are a few different ways you can proceed. Walmart gift card activation methods include in-person, online, or over the phone activation. With a variety of methods to activate your gift card, there should be no issue finding a process that works for your lifestyle.
In-person activation is extremely easy and preferable for folks who like to handle their business themselves. To activate your Walmart gift card in-store, you must visit the customer service desk and talk to an attendant who will assist you with the process. Make sure you have your Walmart gift card on hand and that you are ready to provide essential information such as your name, address, etc. Once the employee verifies all of your information you may be asked to sign the back of your Walmart gift card in order to show that the card belongs to you, which is helpful in the event that the gift card is lost or misused.
Online activation is another popular way of activating your Walmart gift card that many folks find convenient. Getting to the store can be difficult for some, which is why online activation exists as a nice alternative that can fit neatly into any schedule. There are only a few steps to complete online activation of your gift card:
- Open the email you receive from Walmart containing your gift card information
- Click on the link, or type in the URL that is provided on the gift card itself
- Type in the gift card ID number and the activation code in the corresponding fields
After you submit the code, your gift card will automatically activate and you can begin using it for your purchases at Walmart stores, Walmart.com, and Sam’s Club locations.
Lastly, you also have the option to complete your gift card activation over the phone if you wish. You should begin by calling Walmart customer service and contacting their support team at 1-800-411-7942 from Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm (Central Time). You can find this number in the email you received upon purchase, or you can dial the number provided directly on the gift card itself.
Depending on your preferences, you have the option to speak to an actual customer service representative who will assist you throughout the process, or you can follow the prerecorded instructions to complete your gift card activation. Ensure that you have the gift card ID number and the activation code on hand because you will need them to complete the process.
Make paying for your everyday purchases as effortless as you need it to be by using a Walmart gift card in a way that works for your particular needs.
Walmart Gift Card Purchase Restrictions
It sure would be nice if you could use your Walmart gift card on absolutely anything in the world, but there are certain circumstances where your gift card balance cannot be applied to complete a transaction. Though you may be unfamiliar with these restrictions when you first go to use your gift card, you can easily get all the information you need to shop and use your Walmart gift card with confidence.
It is important to keep in mind what items you may be prohibited from purchasing with your Walmart gift card. The last scenario you want yourself in is being short on cash when going to pay at the register after realizing you can’t actually use your gift card, which is why you should get familiar with the purchasing restrictions of a Walmart gift card. We will take a look at specific Walmart gift card restrictions and provide answers to many questions that folks just like you have been asking.
Q: Can I use my Walmart gift card on anything?
You can use your Walmart gift card to make purchases at any Walmart location, Walmart.com, Sam’s Club, and at Samsclub.com. Both the Walmart and Sam’s Club brands operate within the same company, which means gift cards to their respective businesses will work wherever you choose to use them.
Q: Can you use a Walmart gift card to buy cigarettes?
While a Walmart gift card gives you access to purchase plenty of amazing products and services, there are some goods that cannot be paid for when shopping with a Walmart gift card. Tobacco products are prohibited under the terms and conditions of Walmart gift cards, which means you will be unable to buy cigarettes with the funds on your gift card.
Q: What can I not buy with a Walmart gift card?
Walmart gift cards may not be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco products, firearms, or lottery items. Since Walmart gift cards can be used by a wide range of individuals and do not require any sort of age verification, restrictions are placed onto groups of items that may be inappropriate for certain demographics.
Q: Can I use my Walmart gift card on Amazon.com?
No, a Walmart gift card may not be used for purchases on Amazon.com. Amazon gift cards and Visa/Mastercard gift cards may be used to complete transactions on Amazon, but Walmart gift cards may only be used at retailers that operate within the Walmart brand.
Q: Can I buy gift cards with a Walmart gift card?
While it may be tempting to try and buy a gift card for a different retailer when you are not interested in shopping at Walmart, it is impossible to do so. You cannot pay for another gift card using a Walmart gift card – you must purchase a retail item or some sort of service from Walmart, either in-person or online. The same applies when you are using Walmart gift cards at Sam’s Club locations.
Q: Can I get cash from a Walmart gift card?
If you would rather have cash than a Walmart gift card due to having no interest in purchasing any goods from the retailer or affiliated stores, then it makes sense why you would ask about whether getting cash from a Walmart gift card is possible or not. Fortunately for anyone who is sitting on a Walmart gift card with no foreseeable plans to spend the funds, you can absolutely exchange your gift card for an almost equivalent value of money.
Platforms like Raise and CardCash are an excellent tool for those seeking to trade in their undesired gift cards for direct payments. While these services are all unique and offer different experiences for users, they all take unwanted gift cards off your hands and reward you with cash you can spend elsewhere.
There is a lot to keep in mind when using a Walmart gift card to shop for what you need, but taking note of the important stuff is definitely worth the many benefits that come alongside shopping with a Walmart gift card.
Click here to buy a Walmart gift card from Gift Card Granny.
Enjoy your Walmart gift card and shop responsibly!